MARL Today Blog

We started our day with lunch at Lakeside Event Center and Golf Club in Perham. 

Doug Huebsch, MARL Class IV Alumni, Perham native and current resident who is very active in the community shared welcoming message and highlights of his MARL Class experiences.  His life experiences have led him down four paths: Agriculture, Real Estate, Retail and Service.  Doug has operated a turkey farm and a cow-calf beef operation. He has and does own real estate as part of an investor group in Perham that has provided housing for the community.  He is also an investor in a number of local retail businesses in Perham and in the New London/Willmar areas.  Lastly, he is very service oriented serving 12 years as a Ottertail County Commissioner and as current Vice Chair of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.  Doug presented an overview of the Perham community, highlighting the importance of creating and maintaining an attractive location amidst the Lake Region for people to live, work and engage in recreation.  The Perham Area Community Center, Boys & Girls Club, new school system and healthcare facilities were highlighted amongst the favorable business environment that the City of Perham and County has supported.

Following the Highlights of Perham as a community MARL Class XII began work focused on Facilitating to LEAD. Throughout this part of the seminar we talked about what it means to lead and facilitate as well as what followership is.  We identified different leadership mindsets and how they worked to facilitate meetings and committees.  We worked individually as well as in small groups to understand the importance of each of these roles.  We identified skills and tools that both facilitators and followers could use to have successful meetings.  Specifically we talked about 7 common traps that derail a productive meeting.

  

  

7 Common Traps: allowing productive meetings to derail…

Trap 1: Letting Private Interests Influence Public Decisions

Trap 2: Lacking Direction and Purpose

Trap 3: Filling Seats with the Usual Suspects

Trap 4: Going “Off Track”

Trap 5: Making Decisions Outside of Meetings

Trap 6: Getting Stuck in Conflict

Trap 7: Lost in Virtual Space

  After this workshop, we were able to spend time in the evening at the Disgruntled Brewery, which Doug owns in Perham and network with the MARL Class, Alumni and some community guests.  Grateful for place to be nourished and network – Thanks Doug, Becca and crew at the establishment – good time had by all. Enjoyed the tour and photo opportunity.

Thursday-January 25^th

Thursday morning MARL Class XII kicked off our day with a tour of Bongards Creameries – Perham Plant. Plant Manager Justin Larson took us through the facility where 4.2 million pounds of milk are processed daily. A current expansion to be completed in the spring of 2025, will increase that amount to 5.5 million pounds a day. Bongards has been a co-op since 1908, specializing in cheese making in addition to butter and whey production. Bongards of Perham serves around 250 dairy farmers in a 150 miles radius of the plant. As a manager for over 9 years, and a family history with managing Bongards, Justin was extremely knowledgeable and truly had a passion for cheese production. Justin expressed how much he enjoyed the co-op structure and how it allowed himself, employees, and board members to serve the patrons while producing a wholesome product.

Converting waste into power.

Brian Schmidt and Scott Mattson at Prairie Lakes Municipal Solid Waste Authority gave us an inside view of creation of energy from waste.  This facility is a partnership between five counties to handle municipal solid waste and create steam power.

The process starts on the tipping floor, where trucks are unloading the waste from area counties focused on minimizing landfill accumulations.  After the trucks are unloaded, the waste material is sent to the municipal utility reclaiming facility.  This process sorts household waste, removes recyclable materials and PCB’s????

Once the material is prepped it is loaded into a burner, incinerated and the heat generated runs a boiler to produce steam.  This steam is sold to industries needing the steam source – like Bongards’ Creameries and Tuffy’s Pet Foods, both Perham businesses working in collaboration with the solid waste authority.

According to David Beyerl, “the neatest part of the tour was seeing how they use 55,000 tons of garbage to create energy (STEAM) to process raw agricultural commodities into food” – pet food (Tuffy’s) and cheese at (Bongard’s Creameries.)

   

 

KLN Candies:

This afternoon we had the privilege to meet with folks at KLN Brans.  Robb Moser and his team talked about their business and mostly about their “WHY.”  KLN Brands is a very community focused organization.  They are involved in many facets of Perham and beyond that truly give back and also support their employees to purchase a home as well as collaboration with the local hospital to increase local daycare options.

The President of the KLN Brands, Chase Rasmussen, spoke as well as highlighting the fact that KLN Brands does not just manufacture and sell ap product, they do that to give back.  Again, he kept going back to the “WHY” of their business.  Courtney Rooney also joined us.  She is the company’s Dream Manager, with a background in mental health, she is working with employees to reach their life goals and dreams all as a way to create a great working environment at KLN.

We were treated to a great tour of the production floors of candy and popcorn and numerous snacks from their production lines were provided.  Consistently we saw positive employee interaction amongst each other and with management.  Great facilities, a growth mindset, and a giveback attitude were major take away points.

  

Our evening session was shared with MARL Alumni Carl Aakre, Class V, National Director of the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) a special project supporting middle school and high school Ag, Food & Natural Resources Education across the country.  We appreciated learning with Carl and hearing his journey in leadership post MARL Program participation.

Friday-January 26^th

On Friday, January 26, 2024 in Perham, MN the MARL Class XII met to introduce their Capstone projects to the MARL Shark Tank Executives.  All Capstone projects presented were impressive.  Helpful suggestions were shared with the presenters and many classmates had ideas and referrals to share.  Without spoiling the presentation at graduation, some of the topics included:

• Working with the local FFA alumni program to expose FFA members to them many different jobs included ag.
• Being on the board of a new Agricultural Children’s Museum
• Expose students to the meat industry in order to maximize its growth.
• Working with local corn and soybean grower’s associations to increase activities and membership.
• Create a MARL mentorship program.
• Bring tools to Employer Farmers to stay compliant with state employment laws and the Department of Labor.
• Research and document resources for rural community’s EMS teams.
• Create an elite fleet of driver’s in the workplace.
• Restart/revamp the local FFA program.
• Expand the largest sugar beet competition display at the State Fair.  Most importantly this will include educating the State Fair visitors.
• Work to create a tax incentive for farm landowners to rent their last to a beginning farmer.
• Work with youth to create excitement about ag opportunities.
• Create a social media plan around a Day in the Life of a Turkey Farmer.
• Work with family to create a value added product by using current buildings and farmland more efficiently.
• Create access to right sized manufacturing for cottage industries in rural communities.

  

Ali Bouta, Glenwood                                Nancy Miller, Kerkhoven

  

Cody Suter, Murdock         Corey Cervin, Darwin       David Beyerl, Murdock

The first speaker was Darren Newville, District Manager of SWCD and is a member of MARL Class IX. Darren grew up in Fairmont, MN and spent as much time as possible outdoors.  His hobby is wildlife photography.  He moved his family to Perham 13 years ago.

Darren’s office of SWCD has 80 grants from federal, state and local resources.  One of their tasks is to work to manage water runoff with farmers that irrigate their farmland.  Dan’s team will also work with farmers to conserve and protect resources.  All SWCD programs are volunteer.  They are a local unit of government and are political subdivisions of the State.

The second speaker was Nick Leonard, Deputy Administrator of Ottertail County.  Nick grew up in NE Iowa where his parents were small business owners and his grandparents were rural leaders.  Nick shared his 7 points of leadership:

1. Be invested in community projects.  Different people re invested in different ways.
2. Rural leaders need to be generalists.  They help whomever shows up on the doorstep.
3. Have 3 value systems:  personal, organizational and cultural.  Know what your values are for all 3, they may conflict.
4. Focus on most, not a few.
5. Take responsibility when you make a mistake.
6. Influence others by focusing on their needs.
7. Meet people where they are at.
8. Create trust – do what you say you are going to do.

There was a lot of work put into the Perham session by Brad, Toby and their staffs.  All of that work lead to a successful session.  Next stop:  Panama!

Respectfully, Nancy Miller, Ali Bouta, Cody Suter, Corey Cervin, David Beyerl – Seminar Management Team

 

 

Please click on each hyperlink below to view the appropriate document:

• MARL information packet
• Application for MARL Class XIII.
• Reference Form to support applicants.
• Employer Support Form.

For the policy geeks, the history buffs, and the 10,000 steps-a-day devotees, the first day of MARL Seminar 7 had something to offer everyone!

Class XII kicked off our week in Washington, D.C. at the American Farm Bureau Federation, where we learned about the “grassroots to grasstops” lobbying process from Ryan Yates, AFBF Managing Director of Government Affairs. Ryan and his colleagues discussed Farm Bureau’s work at the national level and emphasized the importance of being an effective ag advocate and educator. Ryan noted that since nearly half of current Congress members were not in office during the last Farm Bill, these efforts are critical to a favorable, bipartisan resolution.
Veronica Nigh, AFBF Economist, presented 2023 statistics on inflation, farm income, unemployment rates, and wages. She discussed how these figures might be interpreted at state and national levels when making ag and rural policy decisions.
Elise Cruce, Director of Leadership Development, talked through strategies for fostering better conversations about agriculture with individuals and organizations who have misunderstandings or opposing views. Research shows that about 70% of Americans trust “farmers,” but when asked if they trust “farming,” the number drops significantly. She emphasized the importance of not just “sharing our story,” but emphasizing common values rather than hard facts, and seeking to understand a point of view rather than prove or disprove it to foster greater curiosity and trust. Mark Rokala reiterated and agreed with everyone else who spoke before him. He emphasized focusing on policy and not politics and always ending with “thank you” and “what can I do to help you?”

Our next visit was at the Department of Agriculture, where we met with members of the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. After a warm welcome from program administrator Daniel Whitley, we heard from Julio Maldonado, Global Engagement Executive, and Chris Swenson from Legislative Affairs. They discussed the four pillars of FAS’s work, which include: Trade Policy (expanding and maintaining access for US ag products); Trade Promotion (marketing development and organizing trade shows); Capacity Building (help countries build trade capacity with US, develop non-emergency food programs); and Data Analysis (global market research, production forecasting, monitor changes in trade policies). Because agricultural commodities are so globalized, it is critical that the US positively engage with other countries to promote our products and practices. Conversely, it is also important to keep Congress informed about how national policy decisions could affect US ag and trade interests worldwide.

Later in the afternoon, our group split off to meet with Tom Liepold and Adam Schiff, staffers for Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, respectively. Rather than talk politics, we picked their brains about policy development and leadership. Yet again, our hosts shared that agreeing on a Farm Bill that is favorable to both agriculture and nutrition programs is something that makes them lose sleep at night. They surmised that the middle 80% of Congress could likely achieve compromise, but the extreme 20% of the right and left make collaboration difficult. When asked about what makes a good leader, Tom said that the best Congressmen and women are often curious and willing to learn about issues they don’t understand and to meet with those who disagree with them.

Tuesday: December 5, 2023

The MARL group started off Tuesday with a visit to the Longworth House Office Building where we met with the House Committee on Agriculture. We were able to discuss the current Farm Bill, along with the current extension and dive a little deeper into the multiple hurdles that will be faced in 2024. Passed every five years, the farm bill costs about a half-trillion dollars and funds farm subsidies, crop insurance, nutrition assistance, conservation programs, and more. Without the extension, some farm programs would have expired at the end of the year. This extension includes funding through next September for farm programs and food assistance. The U.S. Congress is working to draft a new, 5-year Farm bill with congressional hearings underway to determine public and private stakeholders’ priorities for the reauthorization.

The MARL class split up Tuesday afternoon and colleagues were able to meet with their local representatives and discuss pertinent information regarding local issues. Here, we were able to build and strengthen relationships and share our invitations of support for Minnesota agriculture.

That evening the MARL class travels to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America’s national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history, and serves as this country’s memorial to the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the state-sponsored, systematic persecution and annihilation of European Jewry by Nazi Germany and its collaborators between 1933 and 1945. Jews were the primary victims—six million were murdered; Roma, people with disabilities and Poles were also targeted for destruction or decimation for racial, ethnic, or national reasons. The Museum’s primary mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the memory of those who suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy.

Wednesday: December 6, 2023

Wednesday morning the MARL group traveled to The Climate Reality Project. Former Vice President Al Gore is the founder and chairman of The Climate Reality Project. The Climate Reality Project is focused on climate change education and advocating for climate solutions available today. The organization is a consolidation of two environmental organizations, the Alliance for Climate Protection and the Climate Project, both founded in 2006 by the latter. The Climate Project is an educational, worldwide grassroots organization that trained selected members of the public to give public talks, similar to Gore’s presentation in the film, “An Inconvenient Truth.” These discussions focus on the harmful effects of climate change and ways to address climate change at the grassroots level.

Wednesday afternoon the MARL group split up again into Leadership Groups and attended various Professional visits. One group was able to meet with The Embassy of Panama in anticipation of the MARL International Seminar that will be hosted in Panama in February! We were able to discuss our itinerary and learn some wonderful information about Panama that will help the group prepare.
After the Professional visits, Leadership groups were able to have some “free time” together and work on Leadership Search Activity. Different visits including, walking tours in the “Speak- Easy”, trolley tours throughout the town, a trip to the National Archives, as well as the Natural History Museum. After these activities, the MARL class traveled to Alexandria, Virginia, for our farewell dinner at the Historical, Gadsby’s Tavern. The leadership groups were focused on creating a “message in a bottle” where we were able to identify examples of leadership and how we can apply these in our professional and personal life.

Thursday: Final Day
No better way to end our week in DC then doing some community outreach. We had the opportunity to visit So Others Might Eat (SOME). What a humbling experience to learn what SOME truly is. They are so much more than the typical food pantry that we all think about. SOME has a business model of serving the Columbia District in DC for six decades. They started serving meals in April 1970 and have never missed a day since. Yes, that is 365 days a year for 53 years!

Class XII got to meet with President/CEO, Ralph Boyd, EVP Chief Strategy and Performance Officer, Stephanie Brown, VP Customer Relationship Management/CQI, Dirk Keaton, and SVP Community Outreach, Daryl Wright. We learned that SOME employs 400 team members plus has numerous volunteers that support their business. SOME has 9 service lines providing housing, food, health services, etc. for those in need. They have an almost $1B fair market value balance which includes 1,350 units of affordable housing. One key to SOME’s success is having a no barrier dining room. This means anyone can get a meal with no questions asked & no ID necessary. Daryl, also known as the “Mayor”, mentioned that DC has 8-12,000 invisible homeless people which they provide support for. He challenged us to show up & volunteer. Volunteer services provides hope for a better future for those in need. A piece of leadership advice that Ralph left us with was as a leader we don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. Rather we need to find smart team members and empower them to do their best. We ended our time at SOME helping move some hygiene care packages around for them to set up for a large delivery the next day.

After our visit at SOME we debriefed at the hotel. Everyone created a souvenir of their experience this week in DC. Each of us are challenged to think about what’s next. We will continue to take our experiences to learn from and take action.

Blue SMT Group- Sagan King, Dan Kuhns, Katie Covino, Courtney Duncanson, Sue Gorman

Class XII started off their splendid seminar in Duluth, Minnesota. On Thursday, June 22, an optional tour was offered to start the day. An opportunity to get to understand a local farm and aspects of agritourism.

Farmer Doug (aka – Doug Hoffbauer, MARL Class VI, he, wife Louise and son-Derek shared about their operation and the opportunities that the farm has capitalized on. Such a different business than a row crop farmer from the typical Midwest farm would operate. In such differences “bloom the flowers of leadership,” and on the Hoffbauer Farm – Peonies bloom. Besides running a farm, Doug Hoffbauer a MARL class VI alumni and leader in many Minnesota organizations [MN Grown, MN Christmas Tree Assn, Farmer’s Markets and UofMN Extension Committee.]  I am very grateful for Doug giving back to the current MARL class. Jakob Hicks – reflections

       

After touring a local farm, we shifted gears and investigated a portion of agriculture that doesn’t look a whole lot like corn or soybeans, instead the focus was on trees. The class gathered in time to meet a bus headed for a Louisiana Pacific (LP) Mill. When I think Mill, I imagine grain turned into flour, however this mill turned wood (Aspen species) into industry leading wood siding products. Brian Gulseth shared his story on how he navigated the lumber industry to his current position within Louisiana Pacific.  He is currently the LP Plant Manager, timber procurement specialist and leader in the forest industry in Northern Minnesota.

Once on site at the LP Mill, we put on personal protective safety gear and learned how trees are turned into siding. A key nugget that learned was about the quaking aspen tree regenerates. Once the treetops are removed the root system will sprout many new saplings improving the ground cover for birds and other wildlife.

                                                                     

After learning how wood can be manufactured into siding, facia and other building products, we got the chance to witness an active logging operation. Not only did we learn about the logging process we were able to see the machines operate, felling & bunching trees and removing all branches through processing. The cost of the equipment rivaled that of grain combines. Jeremy Stecker , 2022 MN and National Logger of the Year, a third generation logger, shared how he operates his business in turbulence economic times amidst the lumber industry.  Jeremy is sharing with MARL Class XII alongside the highway where the opportunity to view actual harvesting – cutting, bunching and prepping trees for transport to the mill was in progress on Minnesota State lands.

We finished the day by going to the Sappi paper mill in Cloquet. At the mill Tom Radovich, the Plant Manager, shared a presentation with us on “Leadership in Forest Products”. He emphasized the importance of always be innovating. Sappi drives a culture of innovation and by thinking outside the box. Sappi is more then just paper, by innovating Sappi has partnered global with multiple companies to bring many products to consumers. Overall, it was an amazing “first day” of a great seminar.  MARL Class XII was provided a special meal of seared salmon and stuffed pork chops with all the sides and a healthy dessert to finish it off – sponsored by the Sappi Mill.  Thanks Tom for the invite, message and hosting our group.

Friday

Friday was a busy day for MARL Class XII. We started the day with a bus ride to MinnTac mine in Mountian Iron, MN. MinnTac is a taconite mine run by US Steel and is the largest iron mine in the United States producing over 13 million tons of ore in 2022. James Jarvi, Director of Logistics, Pellet Movement, Technology & Sustainability, hosted us and started us off with an iron mining 101 lesson. We then headed out into the mine where we marveled at the great expanse of the pits and the scale at which the miners work. We even got up close and personal with one of the huge dump trucks used to haul raw ore out of the mine. Next, we visited the concentrator where they crush and purify the raw ore to about 65% iron. The tour’s highlight came at the end when we returned to the mine to witness a blast that turned roughly an acre of bedrock into crushed rock ready for the processing facility. One of our own pushed the plunger (or button, as it was) that sent rock flying high in the sky and rumbled the ground beneath our feet.  It was a “moving experience!”

            

In the afternoon, several significant others joined our group to spend the rest of the day learning about the Port of Duluth/Superior. First, one of our classmates, Kate Ferguson, who works for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, gave us an overview of the port including its history and modern operation. We then got to head out on the water on a cruise where Kate continued to share her depth of knowledge with a tour of the port’s terminals. We also got to learn the destination of our international trip next year. During the “MARL on the Water” experience it was announced that  We are going to Panama for our International Seminar in February of 2024!!

      

After a long day, we retired to the Black Woods Grille to relax, commune, and reflect on the day’s activities. It was a great way to end the day as we deepened our relationships with our classmates and enjoyed each other’s company.  (Reflections from Megan Horsager. MARL Class XII)

Saturday

Saturday morning was the last day of our Duluth seminar, and it was a tired group of MARL students and significant others that assembled for breakfast. We quickly got the blood flowing by jumping into our “Navigation Conflict with Success” workshop. We learned about different modes of handling conflict using Tomas-Kilmann’s conflict mode instrument. We identified what modes we were most comfortable using and got to hear from others who used different modes of handling conflict. Several class members had small “ah-ha” moments as they learned more about the conflict management style of other class members, or sometimes even spouses. The seminar challenged us to work on developing style flexibility, recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of each mode, and using them appropriately based on the situation.

   

As we wrap up our last seminar of year 1 and prepare to head into our gap, we have a lot to think about. We have spent a lot of time the past year learning about ourselves and getting to know our classmates. Many have shared how MARL has already deeply affected them and how they see their life moving forward. We also have much to look forward to such as brainstorming capstone projects and preparing for our International Seminar to Panama. I think it is safe to say we all are looking forward to the next year.  Lots of loading and moving within the MARL Program.

Acknowledging the contributions of the pictured foursome below that accommodated the Duluth Seminar and provided material – summaries and photos for the MARL blog during this seminar.

Seminar Management Team: [LtoR] Kelly Heather, Megan Horsager, Jake Vlaminck, Jakob Hicks

          

MARL Seminar #5 was located in Saint Paul, and began at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) with a surprise visit from MDA Commissioner Thom Peterson and Assistant Commissioner Patrice Bailey joining us for an informal networking lunch.  Commissioner Peterson opened up our seminar with a recap of his journey into politics, highlighting how important it is to have a smart and trustworthy team around him to drive progress.  He also briefly touched on topics related to implementation of regenerative agriculture principles, finishing his commentary with a clear message of how supporting regenerative ag principles cannot be a unilateral approach, as “not everything works on every farm.”

Toby Spanier, MARL Program Leader then introduced us to the seminar topic of Visionary Leadership by showcasing the value of creating a shared vision.  Toby led us through an exercise where MARL Class XII had to work together, using the instructions of a designated leader-fellow Class member Rick Swenson to accomplish a task (stacking cylinders on top of one another with a rope device while simultaneously all connected to each other, but without seeing what we were doing).

 

 

 

 

 

 

In what proved to be a nearly impossible task, we finally turned around and worked together to quickly (and wordlessly) complete the task of stacking all the cylinders on top of one another using the rope device, thus demonstrating that despite having a visionary leader who told us what we were trying to build and walking us through how to build it, the desired outcome was much easier to achieve when the vision was shared amongst all “staff” doing the actual work.

Following the activity, Toby led a panel discussion with a number of leaders throughout Minnesota, including Julie Ring (Executive Director of the Association of MN Counties), Leann Buck (Executive Director of the MN Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts), Patrice Bailey (MDA Assistant Commissioner), Michelle Medina (MDA Government Relations Director), Ryan Roles (MDA Senior Loan Officer), Robin Kinney (Director of Membership and Marketing for MN Farm Bureau Federation), and Jan Joannides (Executive Director and Co-Founder of Renewing the Countryside).  Key takeaways on the seminar topic included:

1. Use the power of storytelling to connect individuals to your vision – sometimes backed up with data, but always focused on the positive outcomes
2. Purposefully seek out opportunities to connect in person
3. Recognize that the people you need to influence may not always “be where you are” – and meet them where they are to create a connection. In other words, know your audience
4. When thinking about influencing to create change, always remember your purpose: “do you want to make a point, or do you want to make a difference?”
5. Critical to building trust with those whom you are trying to influence, is to remember:
   1. Your message is clear
   2. Kindness is the filter that allows people to hear tough messages
6. Don’t avoid conflict and tension – resolving conflict and tension is exactly how we move forward!
7. Know who you are and how you communicate to effectively convey an impactful message
8. Know the strengths of your staff or volunteer community to help them give voice to and work their passion
9. Use your network – particularly your MARL classmates. These are lifelong connections that you can always count on for help, an opinion, or just a listening ear

We finished off the programmed portion of the day with pre-scheduled, individual legislator visits.  Each MARL member had their own individual experiences, but I personally walked away with a clear picture of how both Representative Kristin Bahner (District 37B) and Senator Warren Limmer (Senate District 37) were drawn to politics through both the influence of their upbringing and a sense of public responsibility to their communities.  Senator Limmer also described how leadership looks different whether you are in the majority or in the minority, though the end outcome of legislation that works for all is the same:

• When in the majority – it is your responsibility to inspire and instigate new laws, but respect the views of the minority
• When in the minority – it is your responsibility to question, challenge, and force the majority to prove the premise of a new law

Senator Limmer left me with an important piece of advice to ponder, that he received as a young legislator – “The only thing you come in with and leave with is your reputation. Everything in politics is relational, so focus on honesty and transparency.”

Evening activities began with an excellent private tour of the Capitol Building, led by Brian Pease of the MN Historical Society.  Built in 1905 at a cost of $4.5 million, the Capitol Building is 118 years old and was state of the art at the time of its opening.  The Capitol was inspired by the Italian Renaissance, and contains the second largest self-supporting marble dome in the world.

     

SMILE PRETTY! and… the proof of those photos are now on the MARL website – Class XII is smiling in style – check out the class!!!

MARL Class XII started their second day at the Drury Hotel in St. Paul dressed to impress. It was photo day for all in attendance. Brad lined up a photographer to come and take professional headshots for all participating in MARL Class XII.   The fresh feature of the Class XII is now featured.  https://www.marlprogram.org/marl/alumni – Class XII

We continued our session of visionary leadership. Hearing from various speakers from the State of MN and the University of MN Extension.  Highlighting important trends in our state’s citizen make up, the current economy and comparisons from years past. We heard from the following speakers.

• Susan Brower, State Demographer, State of Minnesota
• Laura Kalambokidis, State Economist, State of Minnesota
• Brigid Tuck, Senior Economic Analyst, University of Minnesota Extension

Brigid walked us through various activities of collaboration, with round tables on trends playing out in our communities. After reflecting on the prior presentations it was interesting to hear how some communities are taking a proactive approach to issues. She stressed we should all check out the State of Rural MN, on the Center of Rural Policy and Development website. The State of Rural 2023 | Center for Rural Policy and Development (ruralmn.org)

Following Brigid’s interactive session the MARL class participated in an open space session discussing issues such as Ag in the schools, Government control levels, and MARL class recruitment.

It was a great day of learning topped off with a handful of class members heading to the BadAxe axe throwing establishment, while other attended the Ag Day Gala. It was another fabulous day to make connections, learn about each other, our communities and really focus on our visions of leadership.

 

         

Day 3 – March 22, 2023

Seminar 5 rounded out at The Food Group! Sean Hurdle hosted us at the Food Group for a fun day of learning, competition, volunteering, and reflection.

The Food Group (https://www.thefoodgroupmn.org/) is a nonprofit working toward food justice and equity. MARL Class XII learned that The Food Group operates under three pillars that helps drive toward their mission of providing nutritious and quality food for the community.  These three pillars are: hunger relief, affordable grocery, and Big River Farms.  Hunger relief programs assist in food distribution, serving more than 180 food shelves.  Affordable grocery allows programs like Fair for All (30+ pop-up locations once a month) and their Mobile Market bus (40+ sites) to make a more just and equitable food system.  Big River Farms, the most asked about program by our MARL group, is an incubator farming space where The Food Group helps families or individuals learn as emerging farmers.

 

Since The Food Group believes that access to food is a fundamental part of strong communities, the class volunteered to pack dry food goods.  As a group, we scooped, filled, and sealed one pound bags of lentils and garbanzo beans, some more skillfully than others.  Sagan kicked everyone’s butts, showing her bartending skills put to work in the hole-in-one competition.

In the end we packaged 81 boxes of food which equates to 2025 lbs. of food that will make for 1687 meals.  Amazing job MARL Class XII team!

 

 

 

 

 

 

After all the calculations were complete, the class enjoyed a brief tour of The Food Group followed by our final reflections – seeds for growth from our seminar.  Everyone shared something personally reflective and it was incredible to hear all the different ideas from the seminar.

As we all departed with food in hand, or in our bellies, I think we can all look back on how wonderfully informative and fun Seminar 5 was in St. Paul and New Hope!

MARLblog contributors for Seminar #5 – the Seminar Management Team (SMT Group)

Jason Robinson                             Renee Brod                                 Kate Ferguson                          Rick Swenson

        

 

Visionary Leadership is key in our lives.  This seminar provided many insights into organizations and individual’s vision for now and into the future.

The MARL Program vision is for current class members, alumni and future applicants of this powerful program that each will develop the skills of Minnesota agricultural and rural leaders so they maximize their impact and effectiveness in local, state, national and international arenas.

MARL Vision #1:  Future MARL Classes have over 40 applicants – assist by inviting individuals to consider this pre-eminent MN program.  Send names of nominees to MARL Ex. Director Brad Schloesser

MARL Vision #2:   Funding that is sufficiently supporting the program to meet our mission.  Assist with supporter recommendations and provide impact that MARL has had on you personally and professionally.  Send your impact story in written form or by video to MARL Ex. Director Brad Schloesser